She accepted the gift underpawed, holding it, weighing it. With a simple rotation, the gemstone—sapphire?—refracted the sunlight like pure water. It fit snugly onto her foreleg, where she decided then and there it would stay put for the indefinite future.
Cynthian’s words were very nice. Astrid had heard plenty of words in her life. But gifts? Those required effort. Effort? For her? What was she supposed to say now, anyway? A wave of panic shot across her spine; she had come woefully unprepared, hadn’t she? Astrid had no gift of her own to exchange. Nothing to meet his gesture halfway.
“I-I…” she began, suppressing a dry chuckle. She didn’t want to make her surprise so evident in her tone, but her next words betrayed her regardless. “I don’t know what to even… a-all I… thank you! I don’t h-have anything to give you, but…”
The same paw that wore the bracelet (she had to remind herself that it was hers) snaked its way around Cynthian’s neck. She pulled him into her muzzle, relaxing into the hug for however long it lasted.
A conflicted, but mostly gleeful grin sat waiting on her face when she pulled back. “…I guess that’ll have to do. For now.”
